Proliferation of hydroelectric dams in the Andean Amazon and implications for Andes-Amazon connectivity.

Due to rising energy demands and abundant untapped potential, hydropower projects are rapidly increasing in the Neotropics. This is especially true in the wet and rugged Andean Amazon, where regional governments are prioritizing new hydroelectric dams as the centerpiece of long-term energy plans. Ho...

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Autores principales:	Matt Finer, Clinton N Jenkins
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/0973dcd49dbb46e09085adb6845758eb
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:0973dcd49dbb46e09085adb6845758eb2021-11-18T07:21:47ZProliferation of hydroelectric dams in the Andean Amazon and implications for Andes-Amazon connectivity.1932-620310.1371/journal.pone.0035126https://doaj.org/article/0973dcd49dbb46e09085adb6845758eb2012-01-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/22529979/pdf/?tool=EBIhttps://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203Due to rising energy demands and abundant untapped potential, hydropower projects are rapidly increasing in the Neotropics. This is especially true in the wet and rugged Andean Amazon, where regional governments are prioritizing new hydroelectric dams as the centerpiece of long-term energy plans. However, the current planning for hydropower lacks adequate regional and basin-scale assessment of potential ecological impacts. This lack of strategic planning is particularly problematic given the intimate link between the Andes and Amazonian flood plain, together one of the most species rich zones on Earth. We examined the potential ecological impacts, in terms of river connectivity and forest loss, of the planned proliferation of hydroelectric dams across all Andean tributaries of the Amazon River. Considering data on the full portfolios of existing and planned dams, along with data on roads and transmission line systems, we developed a new conceptual framework to estimate the relative impacts of all planned dams. There are plans for 151 new dams greater than 2 MW over the next 20 years, more than a 300% increase. These dams would include five of the six major Andean tributaries of the Amazon. Our ecological impact analysis classified 47% of the potential new dams as high impact and just 19% as low impact. Sixty percent of the dams would cause the first major break in connectivity between protected Andean headwaters and the lowland Amazon. More than 80% would drive deforestation due to new roads, transmission lines, or inundation. We conclude with a discussion of three major policy implications of these findings. 1) There is a critical need for further strategic regional and basin scale evaluation of dams. 2) There is an urgent need for a strategic plan to maintain Andes-Amazon connectivity. 3) Reconsideration of hydropower as a low-impact energy source in the Neotropics.Matt FinerClinton N JenkinsPublic Library of Science (PLoS)articleMedicineRScienceQENPLoS ONE, Vol 7, Iss 4, p e35126 (2012)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Matt Finer Clinton N Jenkins Proliferation of hydroelectric dams in the Andean Amazon and implications for Andes-Amazon connectivity.
description	Due to rising energy demands and abundant untapped potential, hydropower projects are rapidly increasing in the Neotropics. This is especially true in the wet and rugged Andean Amazon, where regional governments are prioritizing new hydroelectric dams as the centerpiece of long-term energy plans. However, the current planning for hydropower lacks adequate regional and basin-scale assessment of potential ecological impacts. This lack of strategic planning is particularly problematic given the intimate link between the Andes and Amazonian flood plain, together one of the most species rich zones on Earth. We examined the potential ecological impacts, in terms of river connectivity and forest loss, of the planned proliferation of hydroelectric dams across all Andean tributaries of the Amazon River. Considering data on the full portfolios of existing and planned dams, along with data on roads and transmission line systems, we developed a new conceptual framework to estimate the relative impacts of all planned dams. There are plans for 151 new dams greater than 2 MW over the next 20 years, more than a 300% increase. These dams would include five of the six major Andean tributaries of the Amazon. Our ecological impact analysis classified 47% of the potential new dams as high impact and just 19% as low impact. Sixty percent of the dams would cause the first major break in connectivity between protected Andean headwaters and the lowland Amazon. More than 80% would drive deforestation due to new roads, transmission lines, or inundation. We conclude with a discussion of three major policy implications of these findings. 1) There is a critical need for further strategic regional and basin scale evaluation of dams. 2) There is an urgent need for a strategic plan to maintain Andes-Amazon connectivity. 3) Reconsideration of hydropower as a low-impact energy source in the Neotropics.
format	article
author	Matt Finer Clinton N Jenkins
author_facet	Matt Finer Clinton N Jenkins
author_sort	Matt Finer
title	Proliferation of hydroelectric dams in the Andean Amazon and implications for Andes-Amazon connectivity.
title_short	Proliferation of hydroelectric dams in the Andean Amazon and implications for Andes-Amazon connectivity.
title_full	Proliferation of hydroelectric dams in the Andean Amazon and implications for Andes-Amazon connectivity.
title_fullStr	Proliferation of hydroelectric dams in the Andean Amazon and implications for Andes-Amazon connectivity.
title_full_unstemmed	Proliferation of hydroelectric dams in the Andean Amazon and implications for Andes-Amazon connectivity.
title_sort	proliferation of hydroelectric dams in the andean amazon and implications for andes-amazon connectivity.
publisher	Public Library of Science (PLoS)
publishDate	2012
url	https://doaj.org/article/0973dcd49dbb46e09085adb6845758eb
work_keys_str_mv	AT mattfiner proliferationofhydroelectricdamsintheandeanamazonandimplicationsforandesamazonconnectivity AT clintonnjenkins proliferationofhydroelectricdamsintheandeanamazonandimplicationsforandesamazonconnectivity
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Proliferation of hydroelectric dams in the Andean Amazon and implications for Andes-Amazon connectivity.

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